28 March 2014

Natural remedies are nature’s gift to us. From alternatives to side-effect ridden prescriptions to solutions that will amplify the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle, evolving research suggests that plants may have more power than we could ever have imagined. Now two of Canada’s top authorities in their fields, gardening expert Frankie Flowers and natural healthcare practitioner Bryce Wylde, show readers how they can harness the powerful healing of plants simply and inexpensively by stepping into their garden.

Power Plants introduces you to a carefully curated list of 49 plants that can be grown in almost any Canadian garden. Frankie’s easy instructions lead readers from planting to harvest, where Bryce picks up with clear guidelines on how to put the plants to work fighting everything from constipation to heartburn, high blood sugar to bad breakouts. It even includes simple substitutions for those whose ailments include a thumb that is more black than green. Let Power Plants supercharge your health with a simple trip into your garden. http://www.amazon.ca/Power-Plants-Simple-Home-Remedies/dp/1443426768

20 March 2014

A friend brought by this lovely bouquet of tulips as a get well wish. Today is the first day of spring and sights like this are ever so welcome!!

However, this is what spring looks like here this evening:

Not quite what I expected but then again March is like winter's last hurrah as a tradition here. We usually get at least one big dump of snow during this month. This was an accumulation of a couple inches accumulated during the day today. By mid week next it will be all gone again. There are no signs of vegetative growth here. No tulips, crocus nor daffodil in the vicinity. My mom told me her tulips are coming up where she lives in Southern Alberta. Sigh....

02 March 2014

Looking out over the river valley yesterday the city certainly appears frozen. Virtually no traffic on the roads nor bridges and it's no wonder. It was -29 but with the windchill it was -42 Celsius.

I really think the term "polar vortex" is not all that new, in fact research on the web would suggest it was known and used in meteorology for several decades. This year, though; the media seem to have picked up on it and use the term freely to define the uncharacteristic cold snap we are experiencing this time of year. Regular highs for the end of February/beginning of March are -2 to +2 Celsius while regular lows are -8 to -13 Celsius. (http://www.world-guides.com/north-america/canada/alberta/edmonton/edmonton_weather.html)

Maximum

Minimum

January

-7°C / 19°F

-17°C / 1°F

February

-2°C / 28°F

-13°C / 9°F

March

2°C / 36°F

-8°C / 18°F

The lowest overall temperature ever recorded in Edmonton was −49.4 °C (−56.9 °F), on January 19 and 21,1886.

Saskatchewan is forecasted to be much colder than our province this week, with lows averaging -60 Celsius with the windchill. I don't think I'd go outdoors for anything with temperatures that cold!

Next week, however; we expect the temperatures to normalize again, getting near 0 and slightly above. I can't wait and I'm sure most residents here agree. I'm so grateful this will be short-lived. January is supposed to be our coldest month! Looks like March came in like a lion so here's hoping the counterpart, a lamb, shows up at month's end.

Hope you're keeping warm. What is your favourite activity to do when it's too cold to be outdoors? I've been snuggling under a blanket, sometimes with the fireplace on, and reading a book or watching Midsomer Murders on Netflix with a hot tea at hand.

01 March 2014

Oh, how I laughed when a friend of mine posted this on Facebook. I just had to share it as I'd come in recently from being outdoors on this incredibly frigid and frozen day. In like a lion, they say. I cracked up when I read this!! Hope you enjoy it as well.